I love using essential oils to lightly fragrance my home but to my horror I recently found out that many essential oils are poisonous to cats.

I am a cat lover and owner, so this was a shock. I would never want to do anything to harm our lovely cat, and I am sure you feel the same way, so here’s what you need to know. 

Why are essential oils poisonous to cats? 

Cats lack specific liver enzymes needed to break down essential oils. If you use a nebulising diffuser (that’s one that you plug in and sends out water vapour carrying the essential oil) or an aerosolizing plug in such as Airwick or Febreze plug ins, your cat is at risk of becoming seriously ill. 

The diffuser sends tiny droplets of essential oil into the air in the mist or vapour, which can settle on floors and surfaces where cats walk and groom. The ultrasonic, nebulizer, and plugin diffusers pose the greatest risk. When your cat inhales the mist or ingests oils that land on their fur during grooming, it can lead to severe issues like respiratory distress, liver damage, and seizures. 

Reed diffusers pose less of a risk but should not be used in rooms your cat spends lots of time in or where they eat or sleep and should always be put out of your cat’s reach.  

Essential oils that are highly toxic to cats

While many oils present a risk, certain oils are especially dangerous and should be avoided entirely. These are:

• cinnamon oil
• citrus oil (orange, lemon or lime)
• clove oil
• eucalyptus oil
• lavender oil
• pennyroyal oil
• peppermint oil
• pine oil
• sweet birch oil
• tea tree oil
• wintergreen oil
• ylang ylang oil

Symptoms of essential oil poisoning

If your cat inhales or ingests essential oils, watch out for these symptoms, which require immediate veterinary attention: 

• Excessive drooling
• Vomiting
• Muscle tremors or shaking
• Walking unsteadily (as if drunk)
• Difficulty breathing or open-mouth breathing
• Collapse or seizures 

How to minimise the risks

If you do choose to use diffusers from time to time, use these precautions:

• Use Passive Diffusers: Stick to reed diffusers placed well out of reach, as they put less essential oil into the air. Only use them in rooms your cats don’t use.
• Ventilate the Area: Diffuse oils only in small amounts and ensure the room is well-ventilated. Air out the room thoroughly before allowing your cat back in.
• Keep Cats Out: Never use diffusers in the room where your cat sleeps, spends most of its time, or eats.
• Avoid if your Cat has Respiratory Issues: Do not use essential oils if your cat has asthma or any other underlying respiratory condition.
• Store Securely: Keep all oil bottles safely out of reach of your cat's paws.
• Only use Prescription Flea Products: Some over-the-counter flea treatments can contain essential oils to ‘help keep flies away’. These can be less effective than other medications and can be dangerous for your cat. We recommend only using products prescribed by your vet or pharmacist.
• Wash your Hands: If you use essential oils on your own skin, always wash your hands before touching your cat and make sure they don’t lick your skin where you have applied the oils.   

Are there any safe alternative ways of scenting your home? 

Grow cat safe plants such as basil, lemon balm, catnip or mint in small indoor pots to add a fresh, natural aroma that will not harm your pet.
There are other options that won’t harm pets such as: 

• Hoyas (also called Wax Plants or Porcelain Flower), which have a sweet chocolate-like or vanilla scent at night. The whole Hoya genus is completely non toxic for pets.
• African Violets are a velvety house plant with sweet smelling flowers.
• Rosemary can be grown in a pot indoors on a sunny windowsill.

The best policy is to do all you can to protect your cat from harm, but for those unforeseen mishaps there is pet insurance. We are here to help when it comes to choosing a pet insurer. You can read pet insurance customer reviews and compare cat insurance options to help you make the right choice for you and your cat.